Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Hamilton vows to bring it home

The McLaren driver was part of the F1 contingent attending this past weekend's Goodwood Festival of Speed, where he put on a demonstration run in last year's McLaren MP4-22 for the thousands of fans attending the annual event.

And the show also gave Hamilton the chance to address his fans, who gathered below the balcony.

In a scene out of an Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Evita", Hamilton stood on the balcony and promised to do his best to become the first Brit since Damon Hill in 1996 to win the World title.

"I'm not going to build up your hopes but just to let you know that I'm working as hard as I can to bring the Championship home for all of us - keep your fingers crossed," he said.

Speaking to host Chris Evans, the radio DJ and self-confessed petrol-head, on the balcony of Goodwood House while his fans gather below, Hamilton also confessed that pre-race nerves are still a big challenge for him.

"I've been racing since I was eight years old and every Sunday before the race I always have the same nerves and I can never control it," he said.

"I always try to come up with a formula or a way to deal with all the nerves and the race to make sure I win and it's always difficult.

"There is always something different happening; it could be raining or dry, you are always starting from a different position and there is always a different crowd and a different vibe.

"So it's all about trying to take it all in and do the best job I can."